Don’t Watch the Arc
**For legal reasons, nobody from yellow weld is giving you medical advice. Please consult a professional and call 911.**
Let's start off by saying that, in all honesty, most job sites and shop safety is common sense. There are a few things you probably wouldn't think of if you're new to the kind of work we do here at Yellow Weld, but I'll try to clear all that up as we go along. We will start with the simple stuff for now.
Everything in a welding & fabrication shop is trying to hurt you, even the employees, if you keep that in mind you will probably be fine and never have any serious accidents.
In a shop environment, all the materials are either sharp, hot or both. So gloves are important. Sparks and chips from drill bits are always flying, so eye protection is a must. ALL. THE. TIME! grinders, hammers, and Garrett’s music are all trying to hurt your ears (sparks in the ear are so uncomfortable it cannot be explained). Finally, steel-toed shoes/boots will keep you from getting hurt when that piece you're carrying slips out of your hands and whacks your toes. That's the basics which covers most of the shop.
In the field however, you have to consider any risks associated with being around and operating heavy equipment. Hardhats are typically required in a field environment protection from falling objects and the added benefit of keeping the sun off your face all day. Harnesses are required in scissor lifts and boom lifts (if you've ever driven a boom lift too fast and hit a pothole you know why).
So far we have covered all the basics for shop and field work but now let's get into some of the odd stuff. Welding in the rain and or snow can cause you to get shocked, especially if you're sitting on a wet I-beam with leads that are old and have cuts in them (worst day ever).
The strings on hoodies can also be dangerous because they easily get tangled in a grinder or in climbing equipment, the same thing goes for boot strings.
The last thing I'd like to mention is a way we can easily increase safety. Tool tethering (tie downs) is useful to keep you from dropping your tools when you're in the air, but they might actually save somebody's life (like if you dropped a sleever bar from a rooftop or a spud wrench gets kicked off the edge of a boom lift)
All-in-all, just be safe out there. Don't put your eyes, ears or fingers in danger. You only get one set and they can't be easily replaced. Most importantly remember that sunglasses will always look cooler in the pictures of you working than clear safety glasses, just kidding…but not really.
Have a great day and stay safe!
